Packing up
I've been packing my stuff up slowly, since it is hardly fun, but has to be done so I can move out on the 31st/1st... argh. My other two roommates already moved out, leaving me with ... most of my stuff that I forgot was mine, and some abandoned tableware. Fun.
Anyway, before all that, I spent some quality time in Borders and Barnes & Nobles, picked up the latest issue of Make, and inside was a coupon from Radio Shack for a "free" Cold Heat "soldering" tool. I figure, why not, I can spare $20, and I'd like to try and build the IR transmitter for my computer. Hopefully the voltage thing won't screw up the transistors, but I have some backup ones if it comes to that. I'll write up a review for here later on, when I'm done packing and unpacking and all other stuff.
Also, as I was poking around to find stuff to simulate electronics, I found Qucs, apparently pronounced "Cukes", which looks awesome, but has decided not to let me do anything useful with it. I made a circuit myself, tried to simulate it, and failed. I followed the tutorial, and it worked. Tried again with my own circuit... nothing. Argh. I'll figure it out, at some point.
Also, before I forget, I just discovered, through this Make post and the site it links to, the site of seamless.usgs.gov. Talk about cool... Download ridiculously detailed maps for lots and lots of places. Now if it would only go faster...
Also, I managed to get a battery-powered milk frother in the mail today. A nice one, too. Strange... Useful, but strange.
Anyway, before all that, I spent some quality time in Borders and Barnes & Nobles, picked up the latest issue of Make, and inside was a coupon from Radio Shack for a "free" Cold Heat "soldering" tool. I figure, why not, I can spare $20, and I'd like to try and build the IR transmitter for my computer. Hopefully the voltage thing won't screw up the transistors, but I have some backup ones if it comes to that. I'll write up a review for here later on, when I'm done packing and unpacking and all other stuff.
Also, as I was poking around to find stuff to simulate electronics, I found Qucs, apparently pronounced "Cukes", which looks awesome, but has decided not to let me do anything useful with it. I made a circuit myself, tried to simulate it, and failed. I followed the tutorial, and it worked. Tried again with my own circuit... nothing. Argh. I'll figure it out, at some point.
Also, before I forget, I just discovered, through this Make post and the site it links to, the site of seamless.usgs.gov. Talk about cool... Download ridiculously detailed maps for lots and lots of places. Now if it would only go faster...
Also, I managed to get a battery-powered milk frother in the mail today. A nice one, too. Strange... Useful, but strange.